My son has an issue with his military records and I wanted to see if anyone might be able to draw on their experience and point him in the right direction.

Let's say my son's name is John David Crow (it isn't). We adopted him at about 3 years old and had his name changed, adding our last name so "John David Crow Slocum" with "Slocum" being his last name and "David" and "Crow" being middle names. I realize now this is not optimal, but we wanted him to be able to maintain his full birth name. His entire life he has gone by "John Slocum", but the Navy has decided to change all that.

Our first indication there was any problem was when we showed up to MEPS to see him off to boot camp. When we were asked our recruit's name they told us they did not have him on the list. After some digging we realized the navy had smashed his middle and last name together without so much as a hyphen so now he is known as John David Crowslocum". It's everywhere. It's on his ID, his orders, his name tapes you get the picture.

He just recently graduated boot camp and when he reported to sub school he tried to get it fixed, but has basically been met with "If that's what the Navy says your name is, then that is your name.". Does anyone have any guidance as to how he can even start to get this addressed since ALL of his records are wrong? I'm prior service so I know 93/100ths of the battle is usually just finding the right person to ask. He is definitely a big boy now and Dad intends to let him take care of it himself, but he is a little busy to be on TexAgs, so

I appreciate any guidance at all.

There's a policy for changing name. Used primarily for things like marriage or divorce, but should be able to help here. Read and follow MILPERSMAN 1000-130. NAVPERS is the only one who can make them name change, which is why the local command says if the Navy says it's your name, it's your name.

Navy doesn't allow punctuation in names which is why he didn't get a hyphen or space.

Thank you for the insight. I will try to get him to go this route. He has plenty of documentation to support his claim of this last name - diploma, etc.. Unfortunately the only document on the list is the order of the court on the name change and it does not spell out "Crow is his middle name and Slocum is his last name". I guess all he can do is try. I am a little concerned that his last name will be alphabet soup his entire career.

It seems a little bassackward since it is a mistake on the part of the Navy moreso than a change of name, but it is the military after all.

I do very much appreciate the insight.

We had a Nunc Pro Tunc signed by the judge (basically a clarified order on the name change) to make it clear he has two middle names and one last name. So far we have been advised it is probably best to wait until he is done with training and gets to his first command so the personnel people can help him. He is going to ask the Yoeman about the multiple middle names since many of the systems only allow for one middle name, but it seems if he is consistent it should be fine.

I very much appreciate the input and advice, thank you.

But if you encounter resistance, call your senator's office and ask them to contact the Navy. This issue can probably be solved with a single call from his/her staff to the Navy bureaucracy. After all, you're really asking for a records correction, not for a new name for your son, and my guess is that can be done with a few computer keystrokes at the Navy's personnel command.

He needs to go to his command's Admin Department first. If they are a decent department (50/50 chance) then they should get it done for him or assist him with getting it done.

As a current company commander in the Army I have fixed similar issues for 3x of my Soldiers within the last 6 months. I signed a MFR and 1x DA form. I think The best option is for him to square it away when he gets to his first real unit.

Nothing to add, but my grandfathers family name was Morhous until the Army added an e at the end. The whole family changed it to Morhouse.

PI had a similar problem when I first enlisted. My first name was two words and I didn't have a middle name PLUS I was a Jr...let's say my name was JIM BOB JUMPBACK JR.

At first it was easy because the Navy wasn't fully computerized yet. We could fill out forms by hand so that they read JIM BOB NMN JUMPBACK JR (where NMN = No Middle Name).

Once we got fully computerized, the Navy was set up such that there was only one space allowed for middle initials. Now my name got changed to JIMBOB (space) JUMPBACK JR. But since military records put last name first, etc...it further hosed me up by not knowing where to put the Jr portion. At first, they got it sorta right...my name was listed as JUMPBACK, JR JIMBOB....but since I didn't have a middle name it would get hosed up different ways...JUMPBACK, JIMBOB J (where the Jr got slammed down as middle initial) or JUMPBACK, JIM B (and the Jr got totally lost).

When I got commissioned after 8 years, I managed to get my name reinstated properly since we were basically "starting ove again" and a mustang officer gets listened to a little more than an E-5 petty officer.

As OP said, refer to MILPERSMAN 1000-130 to get his name changed ASAP as it is easiest earlier in his career. The other option would be to file a CORRECTION TO NAVAL RECORDS request after the fact if he can't get any satisfaction. The Board for Corrections to Naval Records will review his plight and make the final decision for the Navy. If it's not to his/your satisfaction, then go through Congressman or Senator (I'd use this as last resort so he doesn't get tagged as a complainer in "the system". Once he gets his name corrected, be sure to file the SSA-7008 form so that doesn't get shortchanged for income credit toward social security later in life as well hosing up as taxes now. You don't even want to get the IRS involved negatively.

Hope this helps,
Lee72
CAPT USN (Ret)